Burbank High School is in the running for the second year in a row as top high school in the Pennies for Patients campaign, a national fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Schools in the district hold fundraisers for the society's Los...

When 5-year-old Matthew Fernandez’s leukemia diagnosis because public in April, Michele Ramos knew she had to do more than just help the family with groceries.
“You cannot help but look your children in the eyes and wonder if this could have...

On Sunday, 18-year-old Mustapha Khawaja will leave his La Crescenta home in a limousine headed for the airport and, ultimately, Brazil and the World Cup games. Once there, he will watch two soccer matches and sight see with his family.
His one-week, all...

On the first Friday of October, Jack Bierman escorted his younger daughter, Clare, onto the football field at La Cañada High School, where she was honored as a member of the LCHS Homecoming Court.
Two weeks later, the elder Bierman was in Huntington...

Hair today, gone tomorrow — that was the case for five teachers and 15 students at La Cañada High School Monday afternoon, who went under the razor for a worthy cause.
Members of the Bridge Program, an on-campus peer counseling group, held a head-shaving event to raise funds for pediatric cancer research through the nonprofit St. Baldrick's Foundation.
PHOTOS: St. Baldrick's Day head-shaving at La Cañada High School
In front of the North gym, students set up four chairs on a white drop cloth,...

Noelle Ito, a Flintridge Prep alum, class of ’98, is a Bark for Life Altadena team captain.
The event raises funds for the American Cancer Society and is part of their successful Relay for Life events, which have spread to more than 20 countries and have raised more than $5 billion for support of cancer patients and research into cures.
But first, journalistic ethics require a disclaimer: Noelle has set this up in honor of the 10th anniversary of the death of our most wonderful son, 2nd Lt. Andrew...

Family members and local officials unveiled a new sign Wednesday at Glendale’s Transportation Center in honor of former Mayor Larry Zarian, who died in October.
The Amtrak and Metrolink rail station at 400 W. Cerritos Ave. was dubbed the Larry Zarian Transportation Center, honoring the former Glendale mayor’s extensive involvement in transportation issues.
The 16-year councilman also served on the board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and as a state...

Leukemia Photos

For his volunteer service, James Lui, an IT administrator for ARAMARK Uniform Services in Burbank, recently received a Gold Jefferson Award for Public Service — one of the nation’s top honors for community service and volunteerism.
As a board member with the Asian Professionals Exchange, Lui has turned his passion for improvisational theater into an opportunity to impact hundreds of Asian-American children in the Greater Los Angeles area by working to expand creative arts education in his...

Hundreds of people attended a blood drive on Sunday for Matthew Fernandez, a 5-year-old leukemia patient and preschooler at Saint Finbar’s Catholic Church.
Michelle Ramos of Burbank — whose son attends school with Matthew — helped his mother Ana Fernandez enlist people to donate blood for Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, where he is a patient.
The event was widely publicized on local media, and on Sunday, Eddie “Piolín” Sotelo of 101.9 La Nueva FM showed up. But...

In October, the city of Glendale and the region generally lost one of its great ambassadors, Larry Zarian. He died on Oct. 13 from blood cancer, a battle he kept from many, and one that came to a close seemingly without warning.
On Monday, the city of Glendale, Glendale Arts and Glendale Adventist Medical Center will host a public celebration of Larry's life. The event, which starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Alex Theatre, is free to the public, but RSVPs are requested. If you're interested in going, call (818)...

More than 250 people raised about $50,000 on Saturday for the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry during the seventh annual walkathon, “Walk of Life 2012.”
The 6K walk began at Glendale Memorial Hospital to raise awareness about patients who struggle to find a match with marrow donors.
Just 25% of people diagnosed with leukemia or other blood disorders can find suitable donors among relatives, according to the registry’s website. But 75% of patients can rely only on unrelated donors....